Paralytic Poliomyelitis in an Unimmunized Child

DESPITE the widespread benefit derived from live poliovirus vaccines, occasional cases of paralytic disease may occur following administration of attenuated poliovirus.1Furthermore, paralytic poliomyelitis may rarely occur in intimate contacts of vaccinees.2-8The following case illustrates the occurrence of poliomyelitis, apparently caused by a vaccine-like virus, in a child who had not recently received poliovirus vaccine nor had any known contact with an individual who had received vaccine. Report of a Case On July 5, 1968, a 5-year-old white boy developed fever, frontal headaches, stiff neck, and generalized myalgia. At the same time, his mother noted that he walked with a limp. Over the next two days, his right leg became progressively weaker until he was unable to walk. A physician was then consulted, and the patient was hospitalized. Significantly, this child had not received routine immunizations against poliovirus, but his mother thought he might have received two